Method and apparatus for managing a camera network

ABSTRACT

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, receiving location information associated with a mobile communication device, determining a first location of the mobile communication device based on the location information, selecting a first camera from a group of cameras based on the determined first location, receiving at least one first image from the selected first camera that captures at least a portion of the first location, performing image recognition on at least one second image to identify a user associated with the mobile communication device, selecting another camera from the group of cameras based on a determined position of the identified user, and receiving at least another image from the selected other camera. Other embodiments are disclosed.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.17/157,378 filed on Jan. 25, 2021, which is a continuation of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 16/737,222 (now U.S. Pat. No. 10,931,864),filed Jan. 8, 2020, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.14/866,008 (now U.S. Pat. No. 10,554,872), filed Sep. 25, 2015, which isa continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/272,552, (now U.S. Pat.No. 9,179,104) filed Oct. 13, 2011. The contents of each of theforegoing are hereby incorporated by reference into this application asif set forth herein in full.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates generally to personal content and morespecifically to managing a camera network.

BACKGROUND

It is often desirable to try to memorialize personal experiences forindividuals or groups while on excursions, such as vacations, trips andso forth. Capturing photos or video clips helps preserve memories of theexcursion.

Images captured by an individual typically become part of the personalcontent of the individual that is saved for preserving those memories.The individual often desires to customize the personal content and sharethat content with others.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a communication system thatprovides content;

FIG. 2 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a web portal forinteracting with the communication system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a communication deviceutilized in the communication system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a process flow for thesystem of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a method operating inportions of the system and process flow of FIGS. 1 and 4;

FIGS. 6-7 depict illustrative embodiments of communication systems thatprovide content; and

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic representation of a machine in the form of acomputer system within which a set of instructions, when executed, maycause the machine to perform any one or more of the methods discussedherein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure describes, among other things, illustrativeembodiments for generating content, including images and/or audio notes,associated with a user and which is generated utilizing a network ofcameras. A mobile communication device, such as a smart phone or adedicated location transmitting device, can be in communication with thenetwork for selecting particular cameras among a group of cameras thatcapture the images. In one embodiment, the network can determine anobject that is being observed by a user and can focus one or morecameras on the observed object for capturing images of the object. Inone embodiment, a user can share captured images of an object or aparticular location with other users that have attempted to capture orotherwise desire to capture the object or particular location. Thesharing of the images can be based on a revenue sharing plan or otherincentive process so that a user who shares images receives a benefitfor doing so.

In one embodiment, captured images can be altered based on a number offactors, including preferences of the user capturing the images orpreferences of a viewer who has requested access to the captured images.The alteration of the images can be based on marketing materials, suchas updating older versions of advertisements in the images (such as anout-of-date billboard). In one embodiment, a user can add audio notesvia the mobile communication device to enhance the content, such as adescription of an object being observed. In one embodiment, the audionotes can be analyzed to determine relevant subject matter so that theaudio notes can be assigned or otherwise associated with captured imagesdepicting the relevant subject matter.

One embodiment of the present disclosure includes a server having amemory and a controller circuit coupled to the memory. The controllercircuit can be programmed to receive location information from a mobilecommunication device and to determine a first location of the mobilecommunication device based on the location information. The controllercircuit can be programmed to select a first camera from a group ofcameras based on the determined first location and to receive at leastone first image that captures at least a portion of the first locationfrom the selected first camera. The controller circuit can be programmedto receive wireless signals associated with the mobile communicationdevice and to determine a second location of the mobile communicationdevice based on the received wireless signals. The controller circuitcan be programmed to receive at least one second image of the secondlocation from a second camera of the group of cameras responsive to thedetermination of the second location of the mobile communication device.The controller circuit can be programmed to perform image recognitionincluding facial recognition on the at least one second image toidentify a user associated with the mobile communication device and todetermine a position of the identified user in the second location. Thecontroller circuit can be programmed to select a third camera from thegroup of cameras based on the determined position of the identifieduser, can be programmed to receive at least one third image from theselected third camera that captures at least a portion of the secondlocation, and can be programmed to store the at least one first imageand the at least one third image.

One embodiment of the present disclosure is a method that includesreceiving first location information from a mobile communication device,determining a first location of the mobile communication device based onthe first location information, and selecting a first camera from agroup of cameras based on the determined first location. The method caninclude receiving at least one first image that captures at least aportion of the first location from the selected first camera, receivingsecond location information from the mobile communication device, anddetermining a second location of the mobile communication device basedon the second location information. The method can include selecting asecond camera from the group of cameras based on the determined secondlocation and receiving at least one second image that captures at leasta portion of the second location from the selected second camera. Themethod can include receiving audio content and performing voicerecognition on the audio content to generate user notations where thevoice recognition is performed by a server. The method can includeanalyzing the user notations using recognition libraries to determinesubject matter of the user notations, where the user notations areanalyzed by the server. The method can include associating the usernotations with at least one of the at least one first image or the atleast one second image based on the determined subject matter andenabling access to personal content that includes the at least one firstimage, where the at least one second image and notation information arerepresentative of the audio content.

One embodiment of the present disclosure includes a non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium comprising computer instructions which,when executed by a processor, cause the processor to receive locationinformation associated with a mobile communication device, determine alocation of the mobile communication device based on the locationinformation, and select a first camera from a group of cameras based onthe determined location. The computer instructions also cause theprocessor to receive a first image from the selected first camera wherethe first image captures at least a portion of the first location andperform image recognition on the first image to identify a userassociated with the mobile communication device and to identify anobject being observed by the identified user. The computer instructionsalso cause the processor to select a second camera from the group ofcameras based on the identified object of the identified user, receive asecond image from the selected second camera that captures theidentified object, and store the second image.

FIG. 1 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a first communicationsystem 100 for delivering content. The content can be of various typesincluding personal content that has images (e.g., still or moving)and/or audio. The content can be of other types of content includingbroadcast programming, video-on-demand, video games, data, voicecommunications and so forth. The communication system 100 can generatepersonal content related to an environment 101, such as a user presentat a sporting event, a museum or other location of interest, a userwalking through a shopping mall, a user playing at a park, and so forth.The communication system 100 can generate the content by capturingimages of the environment 101 via one or more cameras 191 (e.g., anetwork of cameras) that are in proximity to the environment 101. In oneembodiment, a mobile communication device 181 can enable capturing ofimages via the cameras 191. In one embodiment, the mobile communicationdevice 181 can generate or otherwise be associated with locationinformation that is utilized for determining a location of the mobilecommunication device. The determined location can be utilized forselecting one or more cameras 191 among the network of cameras forcapturing the images of the user of the mobile communication device 181.

The mobile communication device 181 can be of various types of devices,including a smart phone capable of voice communications with otherdevices and capable of downloading software applications associated withthe cameras 191. In one embodiment, the mobile communication device 181can be a device that does not provide two-way voice communications withother devices but can provide location information to enable capturingof the images by the cameras 191 and/or can transmit audio content to beincluded with the personal content. In another embodiment, the mobilecommunication device 181 can record the audio content without wirelesslytransmitting the audio content. In one embodiment, the mobilecommunication device 181 can be a multi-mode communication devicecapable of communicating using a number of different communicationprotocols separately or simultaneously, including long-distance andshort-distance communication protocols.

In one embodiment, the mobile communication device 181 can utilizewireless signals, such as radio frequency (RF) signals, to communicatelocally with the cameras 191 or a receiver in proximity to the cameras191. This local communication between the mobile communication device181 and the network of cameras 191 can be in place of, or in additionto, providing location information associated with the mobilecommunication device. As an example, the environment 101 can includeindoor and outdoor portions. The outdoor portions of the environment 101(e.g., a park or a street) may more readily allow for determining alocation of the mobile communication device 181 via the locationinformation (e.g., GPS data) of the mobile communication device. Basedon the determined location of the mobile communication device 181, oneor more cameras 191 can be selected for capturing images of the user(s)of the mobile communication device 181 present at the outdoor portion ofthe environment 101. The use of the term user(s) in this example isintended to include the subscriber of a wireless service that supportscommunications at the mobile communication device 181 and/or individualsthat are accompanying or are otherwise associated with the subscriber.The indoor portions of the environment 101 (e.g., inside of a museum ora stadium) may less readily allow for determining a location of themobile communication device 181 via the location information (e.g., GPSdata) of the mobile communication device. In some environments, theremay not be any location information available for the mobilecommunication device 181. The wireless signal (such as RF signals) canbe provided by the mobile communication device 181 to the cameras 191 ora receiver in the indoor portion of the environment 101 for determininga general location of the user(s) of the mobile communication device 181so that images of the user(s) can be captured. Based on a determinedposition of the user(s) associated with the mobile communication device181, one or more cameras 191 can be selected for capturing images of theuser(s) of the mobile communication device 181 present at the indoorportion of the environment 101. In this example, image recognition,including facial recognition can be used to identify the user(s)associated with the mobile communication device 181 to capture therelevant images.

In one embodiment, a service provider can enter an agreement with localmerchants, such as hotels and stores to rent or sell personalizedsouvenirs (e.g., pendants, watches, bracelets, disposable handsets, andso forth). The personalized souvenirs can be the mobile communicationdevice 181 in the form of a wireless device such as a purpose-builtsmart phone-like device or small wearable device, which has built-inlocation capability (e.g., GPS capability). In this example, thewireless device 181 can have a number of different functions. In oneembodiment, a first function of the wireless device 181 can be built-inGPS capability for activating or notifying cameras 191. When activated,the GPS location data of the wireless device 181 can enable the videocameras 191 to take video/picture clips for one or more users associatedwith the wireless device (e.g., tourists). In one embodiment, a secondfunction can enable the tourists to interact with the cameras 191 or atour-guide navigation system to select one or a set of cameras, controlthe viewing angle and/or zooming function of the cameras either inreal-time or during a trip pre-planning stage.

The cameras 191 can be of various types of devices and can be operatedby the same entity or by difference entities. In one embodiment, aservice provider can obtain images captured by one or more cameras 191that are being operated by another entity based on an incentive planprovided to the other entity, such as revenue sharing or resourcesharing. In one embodiment, a communication service provider can enterinto an agreement with local cities, merchants, buildings and/or localtour providers to establish an IP based video camera network utilizingthe cameras 191. This network can include both wired and wirelesstechnologies depending on the local conditions.

In one embodiment, the cameras 191 can be controlled in whole or in partby the mobile communication device 181, such as controlling a viewingangle and/or a zooming function of the cameras. Whether or not thecameras 191 are controllable by the mobile communication device 181 canbe based on a number of different factors, including the service planassociated with the mobile communication device and/or the entityoperating the cameras. For instance, the mobile communication device 181can be permitted to control a first camera 191 that is a dedicatedcamera of a service provider but may not be permitted to control asecond camera which is a security camera for a building that is operatedby another entity (e.g., a security company). In this example, thesecurity company may provide images of the user of the mobilecommunication device 181 to the service provider without relinquishingcontrol over the security camera 191. The images provided from thesecurity camera 191 can be designated based on location informationprovided by the mobile communication device 181 so that the images areassociated with the user when the user is in the field of view of thesecurity camera.

The communication system 100 can represent an Internet ProtocolTelevision (IPTV) media system. The IPTV media system can include asuper head-end office (SHO) 110 with at least one super headend officeserver (SHS) 111 which receives media content from satellite and/orterrestrial communication systems. In the present context, media contentcan represent in whole or in part, for example, audio content, movingimage content such as 2D or 3D videos, video games, virtual realitycontent, still image content, and combinations thereof. The SHS server111 can forward packets associated with the media content to one or morevideo head-end servers (VHS) 114 via a network of video head-end offices(VHO) 112 according to a common multicast communication protocol.

The VHS 114 can distribute multimedia content, including broadcastcontent or personal content obtained via the network of cameras 191, viaan access network 118 to commercial and/or residential buildings 102housing a gateway 104 (such as a residential or commercial gateway). Theaccess network 118 can represent a group of digital subscriber lineaccess multiplexers (DSLAMs) located in a central office or a servicearea interface that provide broadband services over fiber optical linksor copper twisted pairs 119 to buildings 102. The gateway 104 can usecommon communication technology to distribute broadcast signals to mediaprocessors 106 such as Set-Top Boxes (STBs) which in turn presentbroadcast channels to media devices 108 such as computers or televisionsets managed in some instances by a media controller 107 (such as aninfrared or RF remote control).

The gateway 104, the media processors 106, and/or media devices 108 canutilize tethered communication technologies (such as coaxial, powerlineor phone line wiring) or can operate over a wireless access protocolsuch as Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi), Bluetooth, Zigbee, or other wirelessnetwork technologies. By way of these interfaces, unicast communicationscan also be invoked between the media processors 106 and subsystems ofthe IPTV media system for services such as video-on-demand (VoD),browsing an electronic programming guide (EPG), or other infrastructureservices.

A satellite broadcast television system 129 can be used also in themedia system of FIG. 1. The satellite broadcast television system can beoverlaid, operably coupled with, or replace the IPTV system as anotherrepresentative embodiment of communication system 100. In thisembodiment, signals transmitted by a satellite 115 carrying mediacontent can be received by a satellite dish receiver 131 coupled to thebuilding 102. Modulated signals received by the satellite dish receiver131 can be transferred to the media processors 106 for demodulating,decoding, encoding, and/or distributing broadcast channels to the mediadevices 108. The media processors 106 can be equipped with a broadbandport to the ISP network 132 to enable interactive services such as VoD,EPG and access to personal content as described above.

In yet another embodiment, an analog or digital cable broadcastdistribution system such as cable TV system 133 can be overlaid,operably coupled with, or replace the IPTV system and/or the satelliteTV system as another representative embodiment of communication system100. In this embodiment, the cable TV system 133 can also provideInternet, telephony, and interactive media services, including access topersonal content.

The embodiments of the present disclosure can apply to over-the-airand/or landline media content services system.

Some of the network elements of the IPTV media system can be coupled toone or more computing devices 130, a portion of which can operate as aweb server for providing web portal services over an Internet ServiceProvider (ISP) network 132 to wireline media devices 108 or portablecommunication devices 116 and/or 181.

Multiple forms of media services can be offered to media devices overlandline technologies in the communication system 100 such as throughthe devices and/or techniques described above. Additionally, mediaservices can be offered to media devices by way of a wireless accessbase station 117 operating according to wireless access protocols suchas Global System for Mobile or GSM, Code Division Multiple Access orCDMA, Time Division Multiple Access or TDMA, Universal MobileTelecommunications or UMTS, World interoperability for Microwave orWiMAX, Software Defined Radio or SDR, Long Term Evolution or LTE, and soon.

Communication system 100 can also provide for all or a portion of thecomputing devices 130 to function as a content coordination server(herein referred to as server 130). The server 130 can use commoncomputing and communication technology to perform function 162, whichcan include among things, coordinating the generation of personalcontent utilizing the network of cameras 191 in proximity to theenvironment 101. The network of cameras can be in communication with theserver 130 or another control device through various means, includingwireless and wired connections.

The server 130 can be used to receive location information associatedwith the mobile communication device 181 which enables selection ofcorresponding one or more cameras 191 to capture images associated withthe user(s) of the mobile communication device 181. The locationinformation can be received by the server 130 from the mobilecommunication device (e.g., GPS data) and/or can be received from otherdevices, such as from network elements in communication with the mobilecommunication device (e.g., one or more cellular towers).

In one or more embodiments, the server 130 can perform recognitionanalysis on one or more captured images to identify a user(s) associatedwith the mobile communication device and to identify a position of theuser(s). The recognition analysis can include facial recognition, aswell as recognition based on other criteria. The server 130 can haveaccess to recognition information associated with user(s) (e.g., thesubscriber and/or individuals that have been associated with thesubscriber for the service plan) that are associated with the mobilecommunication device 181, such as images of the user(s) and/or audiosamples. For instance, the images can be facial images, full bodyimages, side images, back images and so forth. The audio samples can beof various sentences or phrases spoken by the user(s) and voicerecognition can be applied to audio content captured in combination withthe images. Using the recognition analysis and the determined positionof the identified user(s), the server 130 can select one or more cameras191 from the network of cameras to capture images of the user(s) and thesurroundings of the identified user(s).

In one embodiment, the mobile communication device 181 can transmitwireless signals to a receiver for determining a general location of theuser(s) of the mobile communication device and then an image of thegeneral location can be analyzed, such as by server 130, utilizing theimage recognition for identifying the user(s) and determining thecorresponding position. The exemplary embodiments refer to user(s) ofthe mobile communication device 181, which can include the subscriber ofthe personal content service as well as other individuals that areassociated with the subscriber and are present at the various locationswith the mobile communication device. The server 130 can storerecognition information for the user(s) so that a comparison can be madefor identifying the user(s). The wireless signals can be of varioustypes, including RF signals. In one embodiment, the wireless signals canbe transmitted from a device other than the mobile communication device181. For example, a user of the mobile communication device 181 maypurchase a ticket to an amusement park and the ticket may include anRFID transmitter that communicates with an RFID reader to determine ageneral location of the user within the amusement park. The imagerecognition, such as facial recognition, can then be applied to an imagecaptured of the general location in order to identify the user, toidentify the user's position in the general location, and select theappropriate cameras 191 for capturing images of the user in theamusement park. This process can be repeated as the user travels aroundthe amusement park, where RFID readers positioned at various locationsdetect general locations of the user. In one embodiment, the use ofimage recognition to identify the user and the user's position can beused when the location data is no longer available, such as within abuilding. In one embodiment, the image recognition process describedabove can be used in combination with location data, such as where aparticular location is crowded, and close-up pictures are to be capturedby selected cameras 191.

The server 130 can also be used to facilitate the gathering of theimages, such as providing a platform for exchanging communicationincluding control signals between the mobile communication device 181and one or more of the cameras 191. In one embodiment, the server 130can provide a platform for negotiation to obtain select images, such asfrom a commercial entity that is capturing images of an event occurringin the environment 101 (e.g., images of a baseball game that the usersare attending) or from another user that has a more desirable image ofthe location. The negotiation can be based on a number of factorsincluding financial incentives, agreements to share resources or otherimages, and so forth.

In one or more embodiments, the server 130 can be used for storingpersonal content that includes the captured images. The server can alsobe utilized to provide access to the personal content to a variety ofremote devices that can include the mobile communication device 181, aswell as other devices. The access to the personal content can beprovided to various entities, including the user of the mobilecommunication device 181, as well as other individuals or entitiesdesignated or otherwise authorized by the user.

The network of cameras 191 enables capturing images of portions of theenvironment 101 at various viewing angles and/or at a selected viewingangle. In one embodiment, parameters associated with the images, such asa desired viewing angle or a desired distance can be designated by theuser, including in a user profile or as part of a subscription plan. Thedesignated parameters can be utilized by the server 130 in selecting oneor more cameras 191 from the group of cameras making up the cameranetwork in conjunction with the location of the mobile communicationdevice 181 and/or the position of the user associated with the mobilecommunication device. The particular configuration, location and type ofcameras can vary.

In one embodiment, the server 130 can be utilized for adding audiocontent to the personal content. The audio content can be received inreal-time from the mobile communication device 181, such as over a voicecommunication link with the server 130 or another receiving device, orcan otherwise be obtained, such as from a recording made by the mobilecommunication device 181 which is subsequently provided to the server130. The audio content enables the user(s) of the mobile communicationdevice 181 to enhance the personal content with additional informationrelated to the location, such as descriptions, opinions, notes and soforth. In one embodiment, the audio content can be originated at themobile communication device 181 and transmitted to the server 130. Inanother embodiment, the audio content can be originated at other mobilecommunication devices and transmitted to the server 130 or to the mobilecommunication device 181. In one embodiment, the mobile communicationdevice 181 or other mobile communication devices can provide a notice,such as a blinking icon or audio signal, to alert the user(s) thatimages are being captured by one or more cameras 191. This notice canenable the user(s) to begin generating audio content. In one embodiment,the notice presented at the mobile communication device 181 or othermobile communication devices can provide information indicative of alocation of the camera that is actively capturing images.

In one embodiment, the server 130 can perform voice recognition analysison the audio content to generate user notations. The user notations canbe parsed and analyzed to determine a subject matter of the usernotations. The analysis can include various techniques and componentsincluding conversion to text, use of natural language engines, use ofgrammatical recognition libraries and/or use of rhetorical recognitionlibraries. The server 130 can associate the user notations withparticular images of the personal content based on the determinedsubject matter, the location of the mobile communication device 181and/or time data associated with the captured images. For example, theserver 130 can apply image recognition to a first image that depicts theStatue of Liberty and associate an audio notation regarding the originof the Statue of Liberty with the first image. A second image of theuser captured by another camera may depict the dock of Liberty Islandwithout showing the Statue of Liberty and the server 130 can avoidassociating the audio notation with the second image. The personalcontent can include notation information representative of the audiocontent assigned to the relevant images. The notation information can bein various formats, including the original recorded audio content or atranscription of the audio content. In one embodiment, the audio contentcan be a continuous note from a user which is parsed and analyzed by theserver 130 to determine multiple subject matters that correspond todifferent images captured as the user travelled to different locations.

In one embodiment, ancillary information can be provided with thepersonal content based on the determined subject matter of the audiocontent. For example, audio content that asserts that it is very cold onLiberty Island can be analyzed to obtain ancillary information relatedto desirable dates to visit Liberty Island. The ancillary informationcan be presented subject to permission or authorization of a subscribercapturing the images.

In one embodiment, the server 130 can be utilized for filtering portionsof the personal content. As an example, parental controls, userpreferences, digital rights management and so forth can be utilized indetermining whether captured images or portions thereof should befiltered out (e.g., obscured or removed) of the generation of thepersonal content. For instance, images depicting actions occurring in anaudience of an event in the environment 101 that are inappropriate forchildren can be filtered out of the personal content. The filtering canbe based on user preferences, information stored in a user profile,monitored consumption of a user and so forth. The filtering can be basedon criteria associated with the user of the mobile communication device181 and/or can be associated with a viewer that has requested access tothe personal content. The filtering can be performed by the server 130and/or by other devices, utilizing image recognition. In one embodiment,the original images can be retained so that the filtered portions can beviewed.

In one or more embodiments, the server 130 can perform recognitionanalysis on the personal content to identify marketing material presentin the images. The server 130 can alter the images to provide othermarketing material. For example, an image may include a billboard withan advertisement for an obsolete model of a product of a commercialentity. The server 130 can recognize the marketing material associatedwith the obsolete model and adjust the image to depict the current modelof the product on the billboard. The marketing material in this exampleis not intended to be limited to direct advertising and can include theproduct being present in the image, such as replacing an older versionof a product with a newer version of the product.

The adjustment to the image by the server 130 can be based on marketinginformation provided to the server 130 by the commercial entity. Theadjustment to the image can be based on permission or authorizationprovided by the subscriber that captured the image, such as based on auser profile of the subscriber which authorizes such adjustments. Theexemplary embodiments can also include a combination of the server 130and the media processor 106 or some other device performing therecognition analysis and/or image adjustments. In one embodiment, theadjustment to the image can include adding marketing material to an areaof the image that did not previously include marketing material. Forinstance, the image can be adjusted by adding a bottle of soda of aparticular brand on a table in a restaurant where the table previouslyonly depicted dishes. The server 130 can utilize the image recognitionfor intelligently adding the marketing material, such as recognizingthat the image is of a table in a restaurant where there are nobeverages being shown and adding the bottle of soda accordingly.

In one embodiment, marketing content to be added to the image or toreplace other marketing content already in the image can be selected bythe server 130 or another device based on demographic information thatis representative of the image and/or based on monitoring of access tothe image. For example, server 130 can provide various viewers withaccess to an image captured by way of the network of cameras 191.Demographic information associated with the viewers can be gathered orotherwise received by the server 130 to determine correspondingmarketing content to be depicted in the image. In one embodiment, thedetermined subject matter of audio content associated with select imagescan be utilized in selecting marketing content for adjusting the images.

The media processors 106 and mobile communication devices 116 and 181can be adapted with software functions 164 and 166, respectively, tofurther utilize the services of the server 130. For example, the mediaprocessors 106 can be adapted to execute software functions 164 toaccess personal content stored in a cloud computing environment coupledwith the server 130 and to adjust images based on user preferences,marketing materials and so forth. As another example, the softwarefunctions 166 can include transmitting location information that isutilized for selecting the appropriate cameras 191 from the network ofcameras, providing wireless signals that are utilized locally todetermine a general location of the mobile communication device 181,and/or providing control signals to control one or more of the cameras191, such as adjusting a viewing angle or adjusting a zooming functionof the camera. The control signals can be communicated locally such asfrom the mobile communication device 181 to a receiver coupled to thecamera 191 or can be provided via the server 130, such as the mobilecommunication device transmitting the communication signals over anetwork to the server 130 which relays the control signals to theappropriate camera.

In one or more embodiments, other devices can perform one or more of thefunctions described with respect to the server 130, such as the mobilecommunication device 181 performing the selection of the cameras 191based on the location information or the recognition analysis.

Communication system 100 can also employ IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS)network architecture to facilitate the combined services ofcircuit-switched and packet-switched systems.

FIG. 2 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a web portal 202 which canbe hosted by server applications operating from the computing devices130 of the communication system 100 illustrated in FIG. 1. The webportal 202 can be used for managing services of communication system100. A web page of the web portal 202 can be accessed by a UniformResource Locator (URL) with an Internet browser such as Microsoft'sInternet Explorer™, Mozilla's Firefox™, Apple's Safari™, or Google'sChrome™ using an Internet-capable communication device such as thosedescribed in FIG. 1. The web portal 202 can be configured, for example,to access a media processor 106 and services managed thereby such as aDigital Video Recorder (DVR), a Video on Demand (VoD) catalog, anElectronic Programming Guide (EPG), or a personal catalog (such aspersonal videos, pictures, audio recordings, etc.) stored at the mediaprocessor 106. The web portal 202 can also be used for provisioning IMSservices described earlier, provisioning Internet services, provisioningcellular phone services, and so on.

It is contemplated by the present disclosure that the web portal 202 canfurther be utilized to manage and provision software applications162-166 of the devices of FIG. 1, respectively, as described earlier. Inone embodiment, web portal 202 can be utilized for selecting preferencesassociated with altering captured images, such as obscuringinappropriate content or automatically updating or removing marketingmaterial on objects in the images. Other preferences can also beselected via the web portal 202, such as desired viewing angles for theimages, desired viewing distances and so forth. In one embodiment, afirst user can obtain images associated with a particular location thatwere captured by a second user using the network of cameras 191. As anexample, the first user may have been unable to capture a desirableimage of a location, such as the Statue of Liberty, due to poor weather.The inability to capture the desired image may be detected by the firstuser at the time of visiting the Statue of Liberty or at a subsequenttime upon review of the captured images from the network of cameras 191.A second user may have captured clearer images of the Statue of Libertyon a day when the weather was better. The server 130 can enable thefirst user to review and obtain the clearer images to be added to thepersonal content of the first user. In one embodiment, the sharing ofthe images can be based on an incentive provided to the second user,such as revenue sharing, a discount towards use of the camera networkservice, an agreement to share certain images of the first userpresently or in the future, and so forth.

In one embodiment, the obtained images of the second user can be alteredfor privacy reasons. For example, individuals appearing in the obtainedimages (e.g., the second user or the second user's family) may beobscured or removed from the obtained images. As another example, audiocontent or notes associated with the obtained images of the second usermay be removed or otherwise adjusted to disable access to them by thefirst user when the obtained images are added to the first user'spersonal content. The alteration of the obtained images can be based onthe sharing agreement accepted by the second user.

FIG. 3 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a communication device 300.Communication device 300 can serve in whole or in part as anillustrative embodiment of the devices depicted in FIG. 1. Thecommunication device 300 can comprise one or more of a wireline and/orwireless transceiver 302 (herein transceiver 302), a user interface (UI)304, a power supply 314, a location receiver 316, and a controller 306for managing operations thereof. The transceiver 302 can supportshort-range or long-range wireless access technologies such asBluetooth, Wi-Fi, Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT),RF communications or cellular communication technologies, just tomention a few. Cellular technologies can include, for example, CDMA-1×,UMTS/HSDPA, GSM/GPRS, TDMA/EDGE, EV/DO, WiMAX, SDR, LTE, as well asother next generation wireless communication technologies as they arise.The transceiver 302 can also be adapted to support circuit-switchedwireline access technologies (such as PSTN), packet-switched wirelineaccess technologies (such as TCPIP, VoIP, etc.), and combinationsthereof.

The UI 304 can include a depressible or touch-sensitive keypad 308 witha navigation mechanism such as a roller ball, a joystick, a mouse, or anavigation disk for manipulating operations of the communication device300. The keypad 308 can be an integral part of a housing assembly of thecommunication device 300 or an independent device operably coupledthereto by a tethered wireline interface (such as a USB cable) or awireless interface supporting for example Bluetooth. The keypad 308 canrepresent a numeric keypad commonly used by phones, and/or a Qwertykeypad with alphanumeric keys. The UI 304 can further include a display310 such as monochrome or color LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), OLED(Organic Light Emitting Diode) or other suitable display technology forconveying images to an end user of the communication device 300. In anembodiment where the display 310 is touch-sensitive, a portion or all ofthe keypad 308 can be presented by way of the display 310 withnavigation features.

The UI 304 can also include an audio system 312 that utilizes commonaudio technology for conveying low volume audio (such as audio heardonly in the proximity of a human ear) and high-volume audio (such asspeakerphone for hands free operation). The audio system 312 can furtherinclude a microphone for receiving audible signals of an end user. Theaudio system 312 can also be used for voice recognition applications.The UI 304 can further include an image sensor 313 such as a chargedcoupled device (CCD) camera for capturing still or moving images.

The power supply 314 can utilize common power management technologiessuch as replaceable and rechargeable batteries, supply regulationtechnologies, and charging system technologies for supplying energy tothe components of the communication device 300 to facilitate long-rangeor short-range portable applications. The location receiver 316 canutilize common location technology such as a global positioning system(GPS) receiver capable of assisted GPS for identifying a location of thecommunication device 300 based on signals generated by a constellationof GPS satellites, thereby facilitating common location services such asnavigation.

The communication device 300 can use the transceiver 302 to alsodetermine a proximity to a cellular, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or other wirelessaccess points by common sensing techniques such as utilizing a receivedsignal strength indicator (RSSI) and/or a signal time of arrival (TOA)or time of flight (TOF). The controller 306 can utilize computingtechnologies such as a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP),and/or a video processor with associated storage memory such as Flash,ROM, RAM, SRAM, DRAM or other storage technologies.

The communication device 300 can be adapted to perform the functions ofthe media processor 106, the media devices 108, or the portablecommunication devices 116 or 181 of FIG. 1. It will be appreciated thatthe communication device 300 can also represent other common devicesthat can operate in communication system 100 of FIG. 1 such as a gamingconsole and a media player. The communication device 300 can beprovisioned with, or otherwise have access, to all or a portion of thesoftware functions 162-166 to enable the communication device 300 tocommunicate with the server 130 and/or the cameras 191 for capturingimages and/or audio content associated with the environment 101, such aswhen the communication device 300 is present in the environment. In oneembodiment, software can be disabled or removed automatically uponexpiration of services associated with the cameras 191. For example, asubscriber may obtain a service plan that enables capturing images fromcameras 191 over a pre-determined time period. Upon expiration of thetime period, the software that enables the capturing of the images, suchas location information provided by the communication device 300 to theserver 130 for initiating image capture by select cameras 191, can bedisabled or automatically removed from a memory of the communicationdevice without user intervention.

Illustrative embodiments of methods that can operate in portions of thecommunication device of FIG. 3 are described below.

FIG. 4 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a processing flow 400 forgenerating personal content associated with the environment 101. Theprocessing flow 400 can be utilized with communication system 100 asanother representative embodiment of communication system 100.Processing flow 400 can include various components described withrespect to system 100, such as server(s) 130, mobile communicationdevice 181, and cameras 191. Processing flow 400 can also includeadditional components or fewer components than system 100.

At step 1, a user can utilize mobile communication device 181 or anothercommunication device to subscribe to a networked camera service, such asin a historic district of a city. An ordering transaction can bereceived by server 130 (e.g., ordering and provisioning server) in aservice provider's service center. In this example, the user can desireonly to capture personal content in the historic district and cansubscribe to the corresponding service plan. Other service plans can bemade available to the user with various options for images such asimages for multiple locations, outdoor images, indoor images, allavailable camera images, images from cameras within a maximum distanceof the user and/or timing of the images (e.g., capturing images before,during or after user is within field of view of the cameras 191).

At step 2, the user is heading to the service area, which in thisexample is the historic district. At step 3, the GPS or other locationfunctionality of the mobile communication device 181 can enable the userto determine his true location in a map displayed on the device. At step4, the location data or coordinates are sent from the mobilecommunication device 181 to the server 130 (e.g., a location coordinatesserver). The server 130 can perform location mapping service, as well asa service order validation service. At step 5, particular cameras 191can be identified and selected from a group of available cameras basedon a number of factors, including the location data, user preferences,service plan, and so forth. The selected cameras 191 can be activated bythe server 130. In one embodiment, a set of qualified cameras 191 fromthe group of cameras can be identified for a user who can select one ormore desired cameras from the qualified cameras. The identificationinformation provided to the user can include a location of the qualifiedcameras, parameters of the qualified cameras, sample images captured bythe qualified cameras, recommendations for selecting the qualifiedcameras, and/or information as to which qualified cameras were moreoften utilized by other users.

In one embodiment at step 6, the user can communicate control signalswith the selected camera(s) directly or indirectly to set the zoomingand angle requirements. In another embodiment, control commands can beprovided from the server 130 or another control device. At step 7,captured images, including still images and video content, can bestreamed or otherwise provided to the server 130 (e.g., the photo andvideo server) for storage. In one embodiment, audio notes or arepresentation of the audio notes received from the mobile communicationdevice 181 or from another communication device can be recorded on theserver 130. At step 8, the user can review the personal content ondemand. At step 9, the user travels to another region of the historicdistrict. The process flow of steps 3 through 8 can be repeated using adifferent set of cameras 191 of the camera network. At step 10, the usertravels to yet another region of the historic district. The process flowof steps 3 through 8 can be repeated using a different set of cameras191 of the camera network. At step 11, the user travels outside of thehistoric district.

After the video or still images are captured, the user can haveimmediate access to these images. The user can edit, delete and/orexpand the personal content with other landmarks or attractions tocreate an integrated tour video/pictures story. The user can alsorequest the service provider to either stream the personal content orportions thereof to communication devices of other entities orindividuals, including friends, relatives, social network members,and/or cloud storage, which can be done in real-time or at aprescheduled time window. The cloud storage provided by the serviceprovider can enable the user to store all personal content in the cloudassociated with the user's service account. The service account can bethe same account as the user's TV or Internet service account or can belinked to the user's TV or Internet service account. In one embodiment,the services provided via the server 130 and the IP network of cameras191 can be offered for potential users (e.g., tourists) to previewreal-time or batch street scenes. In this example, human images can bealtered to maintain privacy.

If real time audio communication is desired, the mobile communicationdevice 181 can be an audio agent. The mobile communication device 181can enable receiving acknowledgement messages when personal content issuccessfully delivered to a remote end. In one embodiment, the servicecan utilize a prepaid business model, such as based on a time period,number of images captured, number of images saved, and so forth. Inanother embodiment, the user can select a post-paid model, such as ifthe provider is also the user's local service provider.

In one embodiment, if a souvenir wireless device is purchased andutilized as the mobile communication device 181 then its advancedcapability (e.g., location data transmittal and/or audio contentrecording) can be disabled after the service period has expired. In oneembodiment, the souvenir wireless device can be reactivated at a latertime for subsequent use of the personal content service.

The personal content service can enable remote control capability. Theremote-control feature allows a friend or designated person to interactwith the cameras 191 to take the best shots remotely, away from thescene. This can be done through Internet, IPTV, handsets or othercommunication devices. Because the network of cameras 191 may be sharedamong a number of users, priority commands and other policies can beestablished to avoid control conflicts.

In one embodiment, the personal content service can be utilized as anextension to home monitoring product offerings. For example, GPSequipped wireless devices that are presently being worn by persons formonitoring can be utilized with the server 130 and the cameras 191 toobtain snapshots of the monitored person.

In one embodiment, the mobile communication device 181 allows a user toselect an auto mode or a controlled mode. The auto mode can allow theservice providers' network of cameras 191 to capture an agreed uponamount of images to be reviewed and purchased at later time. Thecontrolled mode can allow the mobile communication device 181 to provide“Start”, “Pause” and “Stop” commands. In one embodiment utilizing aprepaid business model, a predetermined amount of still images and videocontent and/or elapsed time can be selected as a contractual agreementbetween the provider and user. When the predetermined limit is reached,the mobile communication device 181 can be alerted to allow the user todecide if extension of the contract is desired.

In one embodiment, the server 130 can enable the user to review imagesof the personal content and provide them to nearby print shops. In oneembodiment, users can choose to deactivate the image capturing functionsat any time in any location by using the internet (e.g., using themobile communication device 181) or by calling the provider such as viaa toll-free number. The images once captured can be shared or streamedto user selected destinations, such as a Facebook page, video sharingcapable devices or personal storages.

FIG. 5 depicts an illustrative method 500 that operates in portions ofthe systems, devices and processing flows of FIGS. 1-4. Method 500 canbegin at 502 in which a request for capturing images via a network ofcameras 191 is received by the server 130. The request can be receivedvia the mobile communication device 181 or from another communicationdevice. At 504, location information or data, such as GPS coordinates,associated with the mobile communication device 181 can be received bythe server 130. The location information can be generated by andreceived from the mobile communication device 181 or can be generated byand received from other devices, including network elements that are, orhave been, in communication with the mobile communication device.

At 506, images can be captured by select cameras 191 that are chosenfrom among the network of available cameras. The selection of thecameras 191 can be based on various criteria, including the location ofthe user of the mobile communication device 181 (determined via thelocation information), the user's service plan, user preferences fortypes of images, and so forth.

In one embodiment at 508, a user of the mobile communication device 181or another individual associated with the user can be provided withcontrol over one or more of the selected cameras 191. The level ofcontrol can vary and can include viewing angle and zooming functions. Inone embodiment, the control signals can be received directly by thecamera 191 from the mobile communication device 181.

In one embodiment at 510, one or more cameras 191 can be selected basedon an object being observed by the user(s) associated with thecommunication device 181. For example, an image of the user(s) of themobile communication device 181 can be captured and image recognitioncan be applied to determine what object is being observed by theuser(s). Determination of a viewing angle of the user(s) (e.g.,estimating or determining the direction the eyes or the head of theuser(s) are facing) in the image can be utilized in combination withknown objects within sight of the location of the user(s). The objectscan be known via image recognition applied to the captured image (e.g.,a bald eagle sitting on a tree branch in the captured image) and/orknown based on provisioned information, such as a list of objects ofinterest being assigned to various camera locations (e.g., a statue on acliff that is viewable from the location of the user(s)). Once theobject being observed by the user(s) is determined, one or more cameras191 can be directed (such as by control signals from the server 130) tocapture images of the observed object, where the captured images may ormay not depict the user(s).

At 512, audio content can be received by the server 130. The audiocontent can be received from the mobile communication device 181 inreal-time (e.g., over a voice communication link) or can be recorded bythe mobile communication device and subsequently provided to the server130. In one embodiment, other communication devices can also provide theaudio content to the server 130, such as a friend of the user that isalso present at the location with the user that transmits audio contentto the server which is assigned to the personal content of the user. Inone embodiment, a telephone number, URL or other addressing informationcan be provided for delivery of the audio content to the server 130 fordesignation with the personal content of the corresponding user. Theserver 130 can receive audio content from multiple sources and atvarious times, including in real-time or subsequent to the capturing ofimages.

In one embodiment at 514, the audio content can be analyzed forassignment to the corresponding images of the personal content. Theaudio content can be analyzed utilizing voice recognition to determine asubject matter of the audio content, which can be used, along withtiming of the images and image recognition that provides a summary ofthe scene of the image, to assign the audio content to the correspondingimages. At 516, the images and the audio notes (e.g., audio signals or atext transcript) can be stored by the server 130 as personal content ofthe user.

In one embodiment at 518, the images of the personal content can beadjusted. The adjustment can be based on user preferences, such asobscuring or removing undesired imagery in an image or changingmarketing content in the image. Other adjustments are also contemplated,including adjusting a format of the images to facilitate access by othercommunication devices.

Access to the personal content that includes the images and audio notescan be selectively provided to various communication devices, such asbased on an authorization provided by the subscriber of the personalcontent service. The access can be to all of the personal content or aportion thereof, such as to only limited images or to images withoutaudio content.

FIG. 6 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a system 600 for generatingpersonal content associated with the environment 101. System 600 can beoverlaid or operably coupled to communication system 100 as anotherrepresentative embodiment of communication system 100. System 600 caninclude the server 130 in communication with the media processor 106(such as a set-top box), the mobile wireless communication devices 181and 681 (such as mobile phones, smart phones, wireless souvenirs havinglocation transmission capability but without voice communicationscapability, and so forth) and the cameras 191A and 191B. The mobilecommunication devices 181 and 681 and the cameras 191A and 191B can becommunicatively coupled to the server 130 by way of a network 650 (e.g.,a mobility network) coupled to the Internet or other communicationmeans. Personal content including images captured by one or more ofcameras 191A and 191B can be accessed via the server 130 and presentedat premises 602 using the display device 108.

In this example, the first mobile communication device 181 can beassociated with a subscriber 610 of the personal content service plan. Asecond mobile communication device 681 can be associated with anotherindividual 615 that is travelling with the subscriber 610 and has beenassociated with the subscriber for the service plan. In one embodiment,the subscriber 610 can identify the individuals (e.g., when ordering theservice plan) that make up the subscriber's party 629 (in this examplethere are two other individuals) so that those individuals can beprovided with some or all of the services under the service plan. In oneembodiment, the subscriber 610 can selectively provide services to theother individuals, which may or may not be the same level of servicesfor each of the individuals. Identifying the other individuals caninclude providing recognition information for the other individuals tothe server 130 and/or providing to the server 130 device information forthe communication devices (e.g., device 681) such as identificationinformation to facilitate communication with these devices, formatcapabilities and so forth.

Location information, wireless signals and/or image recognition (e.g.,facial recognition) can be used to determine a position, location orgeneral location associated with the party 620 (e.g., user(s) of themobile communication device 181) as described previously with respect tosystem 100, processing flow 400 and method 500. For example, the mobilecommunication device 181 can transmit GPS data to the server 130 fordetermining a location of the party 620 or facial recognition can beperformed on the individual 615 to determine a position of the party620.

Based on the determined position or location, the server 130 can selectavailable cameras from the network of cameras to capture images of theparty 620. In this example, the server 130 has determined that cameras191A are available for capturing images while cameras 191B are notavailable. The availability of the cameras 191A and 191B can be based ona number of factors. For example, one or more of the cameras 191B mayhave its field of view blocked due to the position of the party 620. Inanother example, the availability can be based on the cameras 191A beingcapable of capturing a more desired image than the cameras 191B, such asdue to viewing angle, zooming functionality, distance from the party620, objects in the background of the viewing angle, type of camera, andso forth. In another example, one or more of the cameras 191B may not beselectable according to the subscriber's service plan, such as where oneof the cameras 191B is a high-resolution camera at a particular locationwhich requires a service upgrade that was not selected by the subscriberwhen purchasing the service plan. In another example, one or more of theunavailable cameras 191B can be operated by another entity whichrequires a service upgrade that was not selected by the subscriber whenpurchasing the service plan. In one embodiment, the availability of thecameras 191A and 191B can be based on current utilization by othersubscribers. For example, one of the unavailable cameras 191B may beunder the exclusive remote control (e.g., viewing angle and/or zoomingfunction) of another subscriber. In this example, restricting sharing ofexclusive cameras can avoid images that include more than one subscriberparty.

In one embodiment, the selection of the cameras 191A can be made orotherwise confirmed by the subscriber and/or other members of the party620. For example, the server 130 can provide a message to the mobilecommunication device 181 and/or the mobile communication device 681 toidentify the cameras which may then be selected for use.

Once selected, cameras 191A can capture images of the party 620 whichare provided to the server 130. In one embodiment, one or more of thecameras 191A can be under the control of the party 620 via commandsignals originated from the mobile communication device 181 and/or themobile communication device 681. A preview of the images can be providedto the mobile communication device 181 and/or the mobile communicationdevice 681 to facilitate user input, which can include adjusting theviewing angle and adjusting the zooming function of the camera(s) 191A.In one embodiment, the mobile communication device 181 can becontrolling a first camera 191A while the mobile communication device681 can be controlling a second camera 191A. The control signals can besent via various paths including directly to the camera 191A from bothdevices 181 and 681, by way of the server 130, and/or by way of themobile communication device 181 when the signals are originated at thedevice 681.

In one embodiment, audio content can be originated at either or both ofthe mobile communication device 181 and the mobile communication device681. The audio content can be provided to the server 130, such as over avoice communication link, for storage with the personal content thatincludes the captured images from cameras 191A.

FIG. 7 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a system 700 for managingmarketing content that is used with personal content 715 generated by auser. As described elsewhere herein, the personal content 715 can begenerated based at least in part on images captured by a network ofcameras 191 and a location or position determination of the user(s)associated with the mobile communication device 181. System 700 can beoverlaid or operably coupled to communication systems 100 and 500 asanother representative embodiment of communication systems 100 and 500.The adjustment of images, monitoring of access and/or other techniquesdescribed with respect to system 700 can be performed based on anauthorization or permission provided by the subscriber that hasgenerated the personal content 715. The authorization or permission canbe limited, such as allowing up-dating of marketing content but denyingadditions of marketing content. Original images can be maintained sothat the subscriber can readily access the image in its captured form.

System 700 can include the server 130 in communication with media deviceor processor 106 (such as a set-top box at location 602) and mobilewireless communication device 181 (such as mobile phones, smart phones,souvenir location transmitting devices, and so forth), as well as othermobile and/or fixed communication devices (not shown). The mobilecommunication device 181 and the media processor 106 can becommunicatively coupled to the server 130 by way of a network 650 (e.g.,a mobility network) coupled to the Internet or other communicationmeans. Personal content 715 can be presented at location 602 using thedisplay device 108. The personal content 715 can be stored at a storagedevice 710, which can be a remote device (e.g., a database accessible byor integrated with the server 130). In one embodiment, copies of thepersonal content can be stored locally, such as a memory of STB 106and/or a DVR coupled with the STB). While the exemplary embodimentillustrates one personal content 715, it should be understood that theexemplary embodiment can include any number of personal content that isassociated with or generated by various entities, which may or may notinclude the user at location 602.

The personal content 715 can include notation information 720 that isrepresentative of audio content provided in conjunction with thecapturing of the images. The audio content can be processed as describedwith respect to the systems, devices, processing flows and method100-600, including being received from the mobile communication device181 or another mobile communication device. The notation information 720can be in various formats including a voice recording, digitalrecording, and text transcript. In one embodiment, the server 130 cantranslate the audio content into a different language based on thelanguage spoken by the user at premises 602 that is accessing thepersonal content. In one embodiment, an indicia or icon can be presentedin the image(s) that correspond with the audio content where the indiciais selectable for accessing the audio content.

In one embodiment, server 130 can access personal content 715 todetermine targeted marketing content that can be provided with thepersonal content. The server 130 can utilize a number of differentfactors to select the marketing content. In one embodiment, access tothe personal content 715 by other subscribers or users can be monitored.Information can be derived from the access to facilitate selection oftargeted advertisements, such as identification information for theusers (e.g., age, gender, occupation, salary, and so forth). Theidentification information can be determined from sources in combinationwith the monitoring of the access. For instance, monitoring the useraccess to the personal content 715 can enable the server 130 todetermine the identity of the users. User profiles associated with theusers can then be consulted to determine other identificationinformation, such as the examples described above. Sources other thanuser profiles can also be utilized for gathering identificationinformation, such as subscriber plans of the users.

In one embodiment, the server 130 can determine demographic informationfor the personal content 715, such as typical characteristics ofindividuals that would desire to consume the personal content. Thedetermined demographic information and/or identification informationdetermined from the access monitoring can be compared to demographicinformation for the marketing content in order to select marketingcontent, such as selecting advertising images and/or audio that appealto a certain age group or other demographic group.

In one embodiment, server 130 can present offers to advertise to variousentities, such as an advertisement agency via server 730 and/or amerchant via server 735. In one embodiment, some or all of the datagathered by the server 130 based on the monitoring of the access and/orthe demographic information can be provided to the advertising agencyserver 730 to select particular marketing content which can then beoffered to the merchant via server 735.

An offer, whether made from the server 130 or from another entity, canbe based on the demographic information and/or the identificationinformation as described above. In one embodiment, a value can bedetermined for the advertising and the offer can be based on the value.For instance, personal content of a user that has been accessed byseveral thousand people may be deemed as a higher value than personalcontent that has been accessed by less than one hundred people.

Marketing content 725 can be provided for presentation with the personalcontent 715. The particular type of advertisement content can vary. Forinstance, the marketing content 725 can be still or moving images thatare overlayed on the images of personal content 715, such as in an areaso as not to block points of interest in the images (e.g., an uppercorner of the images). In one embodiment, the marketing content 725 canbe placed in the images of the personal content 715 to simulate theadvertisement being present in the environment. For example, imagerecognition can be applied to the images to detect a billboard that wascaptured in the images of the personal content 715. The marketingcontent 725 can be overlayed on the billboard to simulate theadvertisement having been on the billboard at the time of capturing theimages of the personal content 715. In one embodiment, other structurescaptured in the images and/or open space captured in the images can bedetected and the marketing content 725 can be positioned on the detectedstructures and/or open space, such as simulating the advertisement beingon the side of a brick building and/or simulating an advertisement signbeing in a field captured by the images of the personal content 715.

In one embodiment, the marketing content 725 or a portion thereof can beselectable in order to purchase product or service associated with theadvertisement. In one embodiment, a selection of the marketing content725 or a portion thereof can provide a link to a website of a merchant(e.g., being run by the server 735) so that the user who selected theadvertisement can purchase product or service associated with theadvertisement. The exemplary embodiments can include otherconfigurations and methodologies to enable purchase of product via aselection of the marketing content 725 or a portion thereof, such asproviding a link to a third party that manages the purchase process. Theexemplary embodiments can also include revenue sharing for the user thatgenerated the personal content 715 and/or the service provider thatprovided the access to the personal content. For example, sales ofproducts that are associated with a selection of the marketing content725 and/or access to a website of a merchant via the selection of theadvertisement can be used to calculate revenue to be provided to one orboth of the user that generated the personal content and the serviceprovider that provided the access to the personal content.

In one embodiment, the marketing content can be an object 727 that wascaptured in the images of the personal content 715 and is adjusted to beadvertisement content. For example, object 727 can be a soda bottle thatis detected by the server 130 through use of image recognition. Theimage and/or text recognition can be used to identify a merchantassociated with the particular brand of soda. The personal content 715can be adjusted so that object 727 can be selectable by a user whoaccesses the personal content. A selection by the user can enablepurchasing of the product (or service depending on the object that ismade selectable) and/or reviewing additional information related to theselectable object 727. In one embodiment, a symbol or highlighting ofthe perimeter of the object 727 can be used to indicate to the user whohas accessed the personal content 727 that the object is selectable. Inone embodiment, a selection of the object 25 can provide a link to awebsite of a merchant that sells the product or service (e.g., server735). The exemplary embodiments can include any number and type ofobjects being made selectable. In one embodiment, the number and/ortypes of objects made selectable can be controlled by the user thatgenerated the personal content 715. In one embodiment, the type ofobjects made selectable can be based on demographic information and/orthe identification information gathered from monitoring the access tothe personal content 715.

Upon reviewing the aforementioned embodiments, it would be evident to anartisan with ordinary skill in the art that said embodiments can bemodified, reduced, or enhanced without departing from the scope andspirit of the claims described below.

One or more of the exemplary embodiments can enable a wireless serviceprovider to interact with other entities, such as cities, parks,landmarks, and so forth to install IP based camera networks. The camerascan have the capability of taking high resolution photos or video clips.The cameras can be configured as standalone devices or in a cluster.Each camera or the cluster of cameras can be networked with wired and/orwireless technologies. For a wireless configuration, each of the camerascan have an M2M chipset to communicate to service center servers and/orto controlling devices.

The wireless service provider can create a new class of trip video/photoservice packages. The service package can enable subscribers to usenetworked cameras to take their trip pictures/video clips, while alsoallowing the subscriber to designate friends/family members that maydirect the photo/video taking processes from a remote location. Theservice package can also allow subscribed customers around the world toview events they normally could only see on TV News or on the Internet.For example, the subscriber could order from theservice-provider-covered domain a set of pictures every evening at adesignated time. For privacy purpose, these snapshots can be offeredwith only limited zooming capability.

The service package can allow a tourist or a group of tourists to buy orlease one or more controlling wireless device in the form of a smartphone or a souvenir such as a pendant, bracelet, watch, and so forth.All controlling devices can be waterproof and can have an option toinclude earphones with wired and/or wireless (such as Bluetooth)connection capabilities. These devices can include a GPS or otherlocation determination chipset, wireless capability (e.g., 2G, 3G or 4Gconnectivity), control buttons (e.g., to select one or more of thenetworked cameras, to zoom the networked cameras, to provide start orstop commands to cameras, and/or to authorize additional charges),and/or an optional screen to preview the image to be captured.

Intelligent software (e.g., located either on the controlling device orremote servers) can provide an attraction recommendation guide and aninteractive map guide. The tourists can learn recommended places tocapture pictures or video clips. Trip notes can be taken by using thebuilt-in controlling device microphone to generate audio content.

The present disclosure enables advertisement content to be customizedfor personal content that is captured utilizing a network of cameras.The advertisement content can be utilized in revenue sharing with theuser that generates the personal content and/or with the serviceprovider that provides others with access to the personal content. Imagerecognition can be utilized to convert or otherwise adjust objects thatwere captured in the personal content into selectable objects that allowfor purchase of the object, such as via a link to a website selling theobject. Other advertising schemes can also be used, including selectableicons overlayed on the images, banners, audio advertisement and soforth.

FIG. 8 depicts an exemplary diagrammatic representation of a machine inthe form of a computer system 800 within which a set of instructions,when executed, may cause the machine to perform any one or more of themethods discussed above. One or more instances of the machine canoperate, for example, as a controller circuit and/or memory of theserver 130, the media processor 106, the mobile communication devices181 and 681, the cameras 191 or combinations thereof as described above.In some embodiments, the machine may be connected (e.g., using anetwork) to other machines. In a networked deployment, the machine mayoperate in the capacity of a server or a client user machine inserver-client user network environment, or as a peer machine in apeer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment.

The machine may comprise a server computer, a client user computer, apersonal computer (PC), a tablet PC, a smart phone, a laptop computer, adesktop computer, a control system, a network router, switch or bridge,a circuit or any machine capable of executing a set of instructions(sequential or otherwise) that specify actions to be taken by thatmachine. It will be understood that a communication device of thepresent disclosure includes broadly any electronic device that providesvoice, video or data communication. Further, while a single machine isillustrated, the term “machine” shall also be taken to include anycollection of machines that individually or jointly execute a set (ormultiple sets) of instructions to perform any one or more of the methodsdiscussed herein.

The computer system 800 may include a processor 802 (e.g., a centralprocessing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU, or both), a mainmemory 804 and a static memory 806, which communicate with each othervia a bus 808. The computer system 800 may further include a videodisplay unit 810 (e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD), a flat panel, ora solid-state display. The computer system 800 may include an inputdevice 812 (e.g., a keyboard), a cursor control device 814 (e.g., amouse), a disk drive unit 816, a signal generation device 818 (e.g., aspeaker or remote control) and a network interface device 820.

The disk drive unit 816 may include a tangible computer-readable storagemedium 822 on which is stored one or more sets of instructions (e.g.,software 824) embodying any one or more of the methods or functionsdescribed herein, including those methods illustrated above. Theinstructions 824 may also reside, completely or at least partially,within the main memory 804, the static memory 806, and/or within theprocessor 802 during execution thereof by the computer system 800. Themain memory 804 and the processor 802 also may constitute tangiblecomputer-readable storage media.

Dedicated hardware implementations including, but not limited to,application specific integrated circuits, programmable logic arrays andother hardware devices can likewise be constructed to implement themethods described herein. Applications that may include the apparatusand systems of various embodiments broadly include a variety ofelectronic and computer systems. Some embodiments implement functions intwo or more specific interconnected hardware modules or devices withrelated control and data signals communicated between and through themodules, or as portions of an application-specific integrated circuit.Thus, the example system is applicable to software, firmware, andhardware implementations.

In accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure, themethods described herein are intended for operation as software programsrunning on a computer processor. Furthermore, software implementationscan include, but not limited to, distributed processing orcomponent/object distributed processing, parallel processing, or virtualmachine processing can also be constructed to implement the methodsdescribed herein.

While the tangible computer-readable storage medium 822 is shown in anexample embodiment to be a single medium, the term “tangiblecomputer-readable storage medium” should be taken to include a singlemedium or multiple media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database,and/or associated caches and servers) that store the one or more sets ofinstructions. The term “tangible computer-readable storage medium” shallalso be taken to include any non-transitory medium that is capable ofstoring or encoding a set of instructions for execution by the machineand that cause the machine to perform any one or more of the methods ofthe present disclosure.

The term “tangible computer-readable storage medium” shall accordinglybe taken to include, but not be limited to: solid-state memories such asa memory card or other package that houses one or more read-only(non-volatile) memories, random access memories, or other re-writable(volatile) memories, a magneto-optical or optical medium such as a diskor tape, or other tangible media which can be used to store information.Accordingly, the disclosure is considered to include any one or more ofa tangible computer-readable storage medium, as listed herein andincluding art-recognized equivalents and successor media, in which thesoftware implementations herein are stored.

Although the present specification describes components and functionsimplemented in the embodiments with reference to particular standardsand protocols, the disclosure is not limited to such standards andprotocols. Each of the standards for Internet and other packet switchednetwork transmission (e.g., TCP/IP, UDP/IP, HTML, HTTP) representexamples of the state of the art. Such standards are from time-to-timesuperseded by faster or more efficient equivalents having essentiallythe same functions. Wireless standards for device detection (e.g.,RFID), short-range communications (e.g., Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Zigbee), andlong-range communications (e.g., WiMAX, GSM, CDMA) are contemplated foruse by computer system 800.

The illustrations of embodiments described herein are intended toprovide a general understanding of the structure of various embodiments,and they are not intended to serve as a complete description of all theelements and features of apparatus and systems that might make use ofthe structures described herein. Many other embodiments will be apparentto those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. Otherembodiments may be utilized and derived therefrom, such that structuraland logical substitutions and changes may be made without departing fromthe scope of this disclosure. Figures are also merely representationaland may not be drawn to scale. Certain proportions thereof may beexaggerated, while others may be minimized. Accordingly, thespecification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative ratherthan a restrictive sense.

Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and describedherein, it should be appreciated that any arrangement calculated toachieve the same purpose may be substituted for the specific embodimentsshown. This disclosure is intended to cover any and all adaptations orvariations of various embodiments. Combinations of the aboveembodiments, and other embodiments not specifically described herein,will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the abovedescription.

The Abstract of the Disclosure is provided with the understanding thatit will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of theclaims. In addition, in the foregoing Detailed Description, it can beseen that various features are grouped together in a single embodimentfor the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method ofdisclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that theclaimed embodiments require more features than are expressly recited ineach claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subjectmatter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment.Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the DetailedDescription, with each claim standing on its own as a separately claimedsubject matter.

What is claimed is:
 1. A server comprising: a processing systemincluding a processor; and a memory that stores executable instructionsthat, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance ofoperations comprising: receiving a subscription request for a networkedcamera service providing image capturing in a region from a mobiledevice, wherein the subscription request identifies a recipientcommunication device; receiving location information from the mobiledevice; determining that a first location of the mobile device is withinthe region based on the location information; responsive to determiningthat the first location is within the region, storing a plurality ofimages from one or more cameras of the networked camera service coveringthe region; receiving and storing audio data from the mobile devicerecorded while the mobile device is at the first location; and providingthe recipient communication device with access to the plurality ofimages and audio data.
 2. The server of claim 1, wherein the operationsfurther comprise enabling control by the mobile device over the one ormore cameras, wherein the control includes a viewing angle or a zoomfunction.
 3. The server of claim 1, wherein the operations furthercomprise: generating personal content from the plurality of images andaudio content; and enable access to the personal content.
 4. The serverof claim 3, wherein the audio content is received from another mobiledevice present at the first location with the mobile device.
 5. Theserver of claim 1, wherein an identified user that is associated withthe mobile device is different from a subscriber in possession of themobile device, and wherein the operations further comprise enabling thesubscriber to access the plurality of images and audio data that arestored.
 6. The server of claim 1, wherein the operations furthercomprise: performing image recognition on the plurality of images toidentify marketing material present at the first location; obtainingpermission from a subscriber associated with the mobile device to alterthe marketing material; and adjusting the marketing material accordingto the permission that is obtained.
 7. The server of claim 6, whereinthe operations further comprise: receiving marketing informationprovided by an entity associated with the marketing material; obtainingthe permission from the subscriber based on a stored profile associatedwith the subscriber; and adjusting the marketing material based on themarketing information.
 8. The server of claim 1, wherein the operationsfurther comprise: receiving marketing information from an entity;obtaining authorization to alter a first image from a subscriberassociated with the mobile device; and adjusting the first image to adda second object depicted as being present at the first location, whereinthe second object is generated based on the marketing information, andwherein the second object includes marketing content associated with theentity.
 9. The server of claim 8, wherein the operations furthercomprise: generating personal content that includes the plurality ofimages; monitoring access to the personal content; determiningdemographic information representative of the personal content; andselecting the marketing content based on the access that is monitoredand the demographic information.
 10. The server of claim 9, wherein theoperations further comprise: receiving audio content associated with theplurality of images, wherein the personal content includes the audiocontent, and wherein the selecting of the marketing content is based inpart on a subject matter of the audio content determined from voicerecognition analysis.
 11. The server of claim 1, wherein the operationsfurther comprise: generating personal content that includes theplurality of images, the personal content being associated with a firstsubscriber that is associated with the mobile device; providing an offerto share a portion of the personal content with a second subscriber inexchange for an incentive for the first subscriber; receiving anacceptance of the offer; and enabling the second subscriber to gainaccess to the portion of the personal content responsive to theacceptance.
 12. The server of claim 1, wherein the server is operated bya service provider, wherein a first cameras of the one or more camerasis operated by a second entity different from the service provider, andwherein a first image is received from a first camera of the one or morecameras in exchange for an incentive provided to the second entity. 13.The server of claim 1, wherein the processing system comprises aplurality of processors in a distributed network environment.
 14. Amethod comprising: receiving, by a processing system comprising aprocessor, a subscription request for a networked camera serviceproviding image capturing in a region from a mobile device, wherein thesubscription request identifies a recipient communication device;receiving, by the processing system, location information from themobile device; determining, by the processing system, that a firstlocation of the mobile device is within the region based on the locationinformation; storing, by the processing system, a plurality of imagesfrom one or more cameras of the networked camera service covering theregion responsive to determining that the first location is within theregion; receiving and storing, by the processing system, audio data fromthe mobile device recorded while the mobile device is at the firstlocation; and providing, by the processing system, the recipientcommunication device with access to the plurality of images and audiodata.
 15. The method of claim 14, wherein a plurality of product imagespresent in the plurality of images are identified by performing imagerecognition on the image.
 16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:performing, by the processing system, image recognition on the pluralityof images to determine an identified user of the mobile device.
 17. Themethod of claim 16, further comprising: receiving, by the processingsystem, marketing information from a commercial entity; and adjusting,by the processing system, the plurality of images to add an object thatis depicted as being present at the first location, wherein the objectis generated based on the marketing information, and wherein the objectincludes marketing content associated with the commercial entity. 18.The method of claim 14, further comprising monitoring, by the processingsystem, access to the plurality of images by viewers to gatherdemographic information of the viewers that results in gathereddemographic information.
 19. A machine-readable medium comprisingexecutable instructions that, when executed by a processing systemincluding a processor, facilitate performance of operations comprising:receiving a subscription request from a mobile device to a networkedcamera service providing image capturing in a region, wherein thesubscription request identifies a recipient communication device;receiving location information from the mobile device; determining thata first location of the mobile device is within the region based on thelocation information; responsive to determining that the first locationis within the region, storing a plurality of images from one or morecameras of the networked camera service covering the region; receivingand storing audio data from the mobile device recorded while the mobiledevice is at the first location; and providing the recipientcommunication device with access to the plurality of images and audiodata.
 20. The machine-readable medium of claim 19, wherein theoperations further comprise: receiving marketing information from acommercial entity; and adjusting the plurality of images to add anobject that is depicted as being present at the first location, whereinthe object is generated based on the marketing information, and whereinthe object includes marketing content associated with the commercialentity.